Not too long ago someone asked me for information on learning more about benefits. Luckily they were local and I was able to sit down and explain things in person and answer questions. However, I wanted to put together some information about online classes that are available to anyone that has an interest in learning more about the topic. After scouring the web, here is the list I’ve put together for you:
Free online benefit courses
Itunes U
In case you don’t know about it, the Itunes store actually has a section called iTunesU that has several audio and video courses on a variety of different topics. In order to find these classes (I couldn’t figure out a way to link them directly), simply search for them by name in the iTunes store search bar.
- Liberty University Online - Class: Human Resource Management #9 – Understanding Employee Benefits (7 minutes)
- NJIT School of Management – Class: Human Resource Management – Lecture #19 – Benefits (~1 hour)
Open Courses
These are a list of other college level courses that are available and cover various different aspects of health and benefits. I also threw in one on Program Evaluation to help anyone that is looking for ways to measure their wellness programs. These are full courses so they are typically several hours worth of content.
- The Changing Face of American Healthcare
- Comparative Health Policy
- Managed Care and Health Insurance
- Fundamentals of Program Evaluation
Consultant Webinars
Many of the consulting and legal firms offer free webinars on the latest legal changes or other topics that are of interest to benefits professionals. You can generally sign up for their mailing lists and be notified of any upcoming webinars. You can check the websites of Towers Watson, Mercer, Aon Hewitt, Morgan Lewis, or any other largish broker or consulting firm for information about their offerings.
Paid Courses on Benefits
Other people are looking for more formal courses either to qualify for certification or to count toward PHR/SPHR recertification. Here are the two main providers of paid and certification eligible benefit courses.
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
The IFEBP offers a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation with the successful completion of 8 courses and their associated tests. It is considered to be the primary certification for benefits professionals. Study materials cost about $200-$400 per class and an online study fee of $195/class. Additionally, IFEBP also offers other online and in class certification on a variety of benefit topics throughout the year. You do not need to be a member to access their classes, however they all do have fees associated with them.
World At Work offers a Certified Benefits Professional (CBP) designation with the successful completion of 7 tests on various benefits related topics. There are associated classes that you can take to help you prepare for the test. The cost is $1,400 – $2,000/class and test or $1,000-$1,500 for self-study and test. In my opinion, the CBP courses offer a bit more depth than the CEBS courses in that they focus on managing plans rather than administration of plans, but that’s just one person’s opinion.
Hopefully these resources will help you learn a little bit more about the world of benefits. Please tell me of any other resources that might be available out there!
